For several years, Montana’s best-known ranch was a fictional one. Taylor Sheridan’s series “Yellowstone,” starring Kevin Costner, began filming mostly in Utah, but production moved to Montana after Utah’s film incentives changed. The Chief Joseph Ranch near Darby in the Bitterroot Valley stood in for the Dutton family’s home, and crews worked across Missoula and Ravalli counties.
The tax credit
The move coincided with Montana’s own incentive. The Legislature passed the Montana Economic Developers Industry Advancement Act, known as the MEDIA Act, in 2019. It offers transferable tax credits on qualified production spending, with extra credit for hiring Montana residents and filming in rural areas. The Montana Film Office has credited the program with bringing large productions to the state, and lawmakers have debated its cost each session since.
Who got paid
Large series productions spend on things locals sell: lodging, catering, equipment rentals, lumber, trucking, security and location fees. They also hire local crew, and Montana’s crew base grew noticeably during the production years. In Missoula, temporary sets on commercial streets, including a diner front on Reserve Street, drew crowds of fans.
The tourism effect has been just as visible. The Chief Joseph Ranch began renting cabins to fans, and Bitterroot businesses report visitors who came specifically because of the show. Some longtime residents are less enthusiastic, pointing to the show’s role in drawing more newcomers to a valley already struggling with housing costs.
The main series ended, but spinoffs and other productions have kept the MEDIA Act in use, and the question of whether its credits pay for themselves will keep coming back to Helena.